


Happy Birthday

by Shanoodle



Category: Mother 3
Genre: Feels, Gen, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-01
Updated: 2015-05-01
Packaged: 2018-03-26 16:08:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 935
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3856822
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shanoodle/pseuds/Shanoodle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kumatora, Flint, Duster, and Boney prepare to celebrate Lucas's birthday. But when the blond arrives, they find he isn't so willing to celebrate. (Made for MOTHER 3's anniversary)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Happy Birthday

Kumatora slipped into Lucas’s house, pulling on a party hat that looked like someone had splattered paint on it. Streamers decorated the ceiling, and a cake sat on top of the kitchen table, with the words “Happy 15th, Lucas” written in icing. Most of the windows were covered except one on the rightmost wall. Duster poked his head out from around the pink curtains, and a moment later, Flint’s followed. They too wore party hats.

“Is he on the way?” Duster whispered.

“Don’t think the whisperin’s necessary, but yeah, he’ll be here in a few minutes,” Kumatora said.

The thief shot her a look, ducked away, and drew back the curtains. Since it was the afternoon, someone walking in could still see everything, but it was the most they could do.

Kumatora stepped behind a divider separating the beds and the stove. Boney had taken position there, crammed in as far back as he could go. The woman chewed at her fingernails.

When she was growing up, the Magypsies loved throwing birthday parties for her. Each time, they had gathered at Aeolia’s house. Dessert after dessert would cover their table, leaving no space for anything else. Music that Mixolydia composed herself would fill the air. But this was different: no party music, fewer people, and one dessert they all had to share. Hardly a party at all. She pictured Lucas’s face when he walked in – a smile falling to a frown and his eyes looking for gifts and snacks that weren’t there. Hopefully he wouldn’t be too disappointed.

And so they waited. Kumatora kept running the scenario over and over again in her head. Those few minutes ticked by as though someone had slowed down time. She clenched her fists. Why couldn’t he just hurry there and get this over with?

After a while, Flint checked his pocketwatch, and the features on his face tightened.

“You said a few minutes, right?” he said.

“I did. Why? What time is it?”

“Five o'clock right now. It was 4:50 when you got back.”

“It’s really been that long? I thought I was just … well, what’s taking that dork so long?”

Flint gave a shrug. “You tell me.”

“I think one of us should look for him,” Duster said. “Make sure he’s okay. I don’t really feel like waiting any longer for cake.”

“In that case, maybe you should do it,” he replied. “I’m sure he’s fine, though. He’s a tough boy.”

“Hang on a sec. ‘Maybe I should do it?’ What’s that supposed to mean?”

As they bickered, Kumatora left her spot and strode toward the door. She opened it. And in the distance, Lucas came plodding down the path, his head turned toward the ground.

“Shut up for a moment and come here,” Kumatora called back to the men.

“What’s wrong? Is he coming?” Duster said as he and Lucas’s father joined her.

They stood for a moment and watched.

“I think we’d better talk to him,” Flint said.

They all took off toward the blonde, calling his name. After a moment, Boney followed. Lucas looked up but kept his pace. His mouth was curved into a frown, and as they drew closer, the redness in his eyes became more noticable.

“Hey, guys,” he muttered once they got within earshot. Boney dashed up to the blonde, tail wagging, and licked his hand. Lucas sank to the ground and started scratching his ears.

“What happened, little dude?” Kumatora said, kneeling down along with the others . “You were smiling half an hour ago. Did someone make fun of you? I want names. Who do I gotta punch? I’ll show them–”

“No no, it’s nothing like that,” Lucas replied, holding up a hand. “I … well, I was just talking to Mom and Claus.”

Kumatora scratched her head. Consoling people wasn’t her strong suit. The last time something like this happened, Duster had to shoo her away before she made anything worse.

“And what did you say to them?” Flint said.

Lucas blinked a couple of times and looked away. “I told them that I wished they were here for my birthday.”

Flint tilted the rim of his hat over his eyes. “I do too, son. But in a way, they  _are_  still here. They’re always looking after us; you know that better than anyone.”

“I know, I know. But it’d still be nice to talk to them.”

“Yeah,” Kumatora said, “but the fact they’re even able to bust out of the afterlife to see you is pretty damn cool. I wish my mom could… . ” She sniffed. “Well, y'know, what Flint said.”

“Besides,” Duster added, resting a hand on Lucas’s shoulder, “even if they can’t talk with you, we’re still your family. And we’ll always be there.”

Lucas looked back up, blinking his eyes again and again. His mouth twitched, then slowly spread to a grin.

“Thanks, guys,” he said.

Kumatora was the first to gather him up in a hug. Lucas tensed up, but almost a second later, he relaxed. Flint and Duster followed Kumatora’s lead, and the blonde was surrounded and squished by the others. He kept blinking, but not fast enough to stop a tear or two from escaping.

Later that day, as everyone sang Lucas happy birthday, the curtains on one of the windows shifted. Patches of red, yellow, and blue kept appearing and disappearing behind the pink. And among the voices of his family, another pair of voices joined in, though nobody but the blonde heard them or saw the patches.

Lucas spent the rest of his birthday with a smile on his face.


End file.
